ORCHID FEEDING CONTROVERSY! Oh my!!

[JonnyBravo]

How did you like that title, huh? Catchy? You're reading this now, at least... So maybe I'm not the first orchid fancier to stumble across this bit of conundrum, but I'd LOVE to spark an internal debate within this UTTERLY FANTASTIC online forum.

So here's my deal: I started with orchids a few years ago, give or take a few months either way. At the time, I wasn't keeping much track of time-- my watch had a year hand on it, and that was good enough for me. Now I don't wear a watch at all, and don't hardly keep track of anything other than when it last rained and when my plants last bloomed. I know that I married my wife two Encyclia blooms ago, and she is thrilled that I remember that much. I am richly blessed in this way.

Anyway, I started out with 3 plants, of which 2 have survived and thrived. My initial feeding schedule involved... nothing at all. I watered my Vanda viboon X coerulea, now-dead Bealleara, and Brassavola Little Stars when I remembered to and felt like it. Then I got a book, and learned the standard practice of "WEEKLY, WEAKLY!". I applied this idea to the MiracleGro I was using at the time, because it had done wonders for some chili pepper plants I had kept in the past. However, I got lots and lots of vegetative growth from my orchids, and almost no blooms. The 'chids that did bloom in my ever-growing collection seemed short on flowers. So I switched to Schultz Orchid fertilizer at the suggestion of a friend, and got the blooms I was looking for, but the vegetative growth fell off by an estimated half. At the same time, my roommate began growing a lot of new non-orchid plants, and seemed to be having good luck using Super-Thrive as an additive to feeding.

With the lack of veg. growth from Schultz and the lack of bloom power from MiracleGro, I decided to combine the two, and added a bit of Super-Thrive for good measure. I did the math, and stuck to my prescription of "WEEKLY, WEAKLY!" But I am a bit of a boundary-pusher, and increased my fertilizer strength a bit at a time. And here's the controversy:

I feed the EVER-LIVING DAYLIGHTS out of my orchids. Every week that it is warm, they get the following: 3/4 strength MiracleGro, 3/4 strength Schultz Orchid Fertilizer, and full-strength Super-Thrive... all in the same gallon of rainwater. That's right, baby. 1 gallon of water, almost 3 times the recommended dose of food. OOHHH, I'm dirty. And they loooooove it. My vegetative growth is better than I should hope for, and every plant blooms when it is supposed to and sometimes more. Nothing has burned yet, everyone is soooo happy. The worst-off plants are doing well, but I have an Ascocenda and a Blc. X Bc. that each bloom 3-5 times a year. Massive blooms. Colorful. Hot dang.

These are the only things I can think of that make my gluttonous feeding schedule OK: most of my plants are mounted, and those that are not have fast-draining, non-retentive media. Very soon after (within 24 hours of) a feeding, I water the heck out of my plants with rainwater and wash away residual salts. I also give a very strenuous winter "rest" period to all my plants, which could be considered almost more of a "stress" period. As soon as it gets to long sleeves weather here in Florida, I water 2X a week max, and none if it rains that week. I feed once a month... maybe... if my poor internal clock remembers. But once temps reach a solid 70F for at least a week straight... IT'S ON, BABY! Bring on those mineral salts!

So please, tell me I'm bad. Tell me I'm dirty, and amateurish, and that my plants will die very soon. They would beg to differ, but they're way too busy spitting out splendoriforous flowers right now.

(Honestly though, what the heck is going on? I thought too much fertilizer was bad?! Why is it working so well? Also- if it seems like I'm bragging, it's only because I have a warped sense of humor, and find it funny that I'm breaking the rules of hundreds of years of scientific data-gathering to the tune of excellent results. Help! This can't be good! Seriously! And you in the back- stop frowning and grumbling. Orchids can be funny, dangit!)

[metalop1g]

I feel like my next walmart orchid will recieve the same treatment :P

[snow]

why mess with success.
a few pictures would be appreciated to confirm you,re boasting. lol!

[JonnyBravo]

i agree, snow. all my laeliinae are within days or a week of blooming. as soon as my shadehouse "goes off", i had planned on posting anyway. in the meantime, i'll hop back on here at lunchtime and see what scant few pics i may have already sitting around.

[kiki-do]

Well, i was told to fertilize the beegeebers out of vanda types to get blooms from them. Some orchids require more fertilizer than others.
You may be onto something. I'm sure orchids are fertilized heavily in nurserys to get them ready for sale. Perhaps I too will "kick it up a notch!" for the summer.

[rogerman]

I'm watering my plants twice daily at the moment as it is soooo hot. If it rains overnight, i'll only water the vandas and any other plants that doesn't have any potting media and leave the potted plants for the next day...... As far as fertilizing my plants, i'm doing that every Sunday morning about ten minutes after I have watered. I'm using 21-21-21 NPK at full strength (10 grams per 20 litres) and growth has been great...... Sometimes I even mix a little carbendazime (fungicide) with it to save having to spray thousands of plants again...... I hope the day that i have an electric pump for fertilizer spraying comes fast.

[cb977]

Originally Posted by JonnyBravo

I know that I married my wife two Encyclia blooms ago, and she is thrilled that I remember that much. I am richly blessed in this way.

That's too funny, dude!

As for all the other stuff, I'll just type my old mantra...

Do whatever works for YOU!



I read everything I can about growing chids and then take a bit of "this" and a little of "that" and have come up with what works for me

It's not always what it's "supposed" to be but they're happy which means I'm happy...which means my hubby is safe

[JonnyBravo]

ok, i have VERY few pix to offer, but here's a specific example of what i'm talking about:

14 months ago i bought a Prosthechea cochleata at near-blooming size, and was told by the grower that it would be a year or two before i saw mature growth and blooms. the timeline proved to be correct, as she's just popping her first flowers, but the growth has been exponential. the biggest pbulbs at time of purchase were just over an inch long, and there were 4 or 5 of them. now there are closer to a dozen, with the biggest at 5-6". every pbulb produced multiple new growths 2 and 3 at a time.

in the pics: the cochleata, just about to bloom. unfortunately, i don't have any "before pics". the tiny unbloomed plant didn't seem worth a photo then. next is the aforementioned B. Little Stars, who bloomed from October through the winter, with a few stragglers lasting into April. didn't count, but I'm pretty sure that she had over 100 blooms start to finish. i love my plants, they reward me more than i deserve!

[kiki-do]

Oh you deserve! That is their Thank You!
Wow......

[peeweelovesbooks]

Well, I've amped up the fertilizing to 250ppm and KLN. Everything is growing. My catts all have new roots, it looks like my little tiny rupicolous Laelias are putting sheaths (cross my fingers and toes), my Large vanda is growing roots and new leaves, my renantheras are spiking and growing, everything seems content.

I'm happy with the results thus far, but there's a nagging voice in the back of my mind saying, "you are missing something." Could be my split personality, IDK....but despite some orchid success, I feel I'm not doing something right.

Having said that, I wish you continued good luck with your chids. The brassavola is fantastic...I can't wait to get my seedlings!